Next to sake (さけ) shoochuu (しょうちゅう) is easily one of the more preferred alcoholic drinks in Japan.  A lot of people mistake shoochuu (しょうちゅう) for sake (さけ), but the two are very different from each other.  Shoochuu (しょうちゅう) is a lot stronger than sake (さけ) in terms of alcohol content.  Kyuushuu (九州) an island province in Japan, is famous for its shoochuu (しょうちゅう) breweries.  However, shoochuu (しょうちゅう) is sold everywhere in Japan, so you don’t have to go all the way to Kyuushuu (九州) to get it.

Like sake (さけ), there are different varieites of shoochuu (しょうちゅう).  For example, I recommend the imojoochuu (芋焼酎), which is a shoochuu (しょうちゅう) made from distilled sweet potatoes.  Generally speaking the imojoochuu (芋焼酎) has a sharp taste.  It’s hard to explain, but the imojoochuu (芋焼酎) has a nutty, almond-like flavor.  Depending on the manufacturer, imojoochuu (芋焼酎) can have a strong smell as well.  I personally prefer imojoochuu (芋焼酎) with a muted smell, but either way the taste doesn’t change.

My next favorite shoochuu (しょうちゅう) is kokutoojochuu (黒糖焼酎).  Kokutoojoo (黒糖焼酎) is made from distilled brown sugar.  You might be interested to know that kokutoojochuu (黒糖焼酎) is actually made from kooji (麹) or mold that has been formed from rice.  The kooji (麹) is actually not the main ingredient in kokutoochuu (黒糖焼酎).  The kooji (麹) is responsible for breaking down the brown sugar so that it dissolves.  For those of you who were put off by the kooji (麹) or mold, I can assure you kokutoochuu (黒糖焼酎) tastes just fine.  It’s not too sweet and it’s not too bitter.  It’s somewhere in the middle between the two extremes.

Just to warn you, the legal drinking age in Japan is 20.  Some of you may not be able to drink, but don’t worry there are plenty of things to eat and drink in Japan other than alcohol.  So stay tuned for future posts.